The survey shows astonishing intensity and sharp opposition to reform, far more than national polls reflect. For 82% of those surveyed, the heath-care bill is either the top or one of the top three issues for deciding whom to support for Congress next November. (That number goes to 88% among independent women.) Sixty percent want Congress to start from scratch on a bipartisan health-care reform proposal or stop working on it this year. Majorities say the legislation will make them and their loved ones (53%), the economy (54%) and the U.S. health-care system (55%) worse off””quite the trifecta.
Seven in 10 would vote against a House member who votes for the Senate health-care bill with its special interest provisions. That includes 45% of self-identified Democrats, 72% of independents and 88% of Republicans. Three in four disagree that the federal government should mandate that everyone buy a government-approved insurance plan (64% strongly so), and 81% say any reform should focus first on reducing costs. Three quarters agree that Americans have the right to choose not to participate in any health-care system or plan without a penalty or fine.
That translates into specific concerns with the Senate legislation””and none of these objections would be addressed by the proposed fixes. Over 70%””indeed in several districts over 80%””of respondents, across party lines, said that the following information made them less supportive: the bill mandates that individuals purchase insurance or face penalties; it cuts Medicare Advantage; it will force potentially millions to lose existing coverage; it will cost an estimated $2.3 trillion over its first 10 years; and it will grant unprecedented new powers to the Health and Human Services secretary.
It’s worth defeating this bill on the Medicare Advantage issue alone. MA is a fantastic program for people of modest means: one third of Hispanics and one quarter of blacks are with Part C (Medicare Advantage), and half the enrollees have annual income under $20,000.
In many cases you can keep your existing insurance and Medicare sends your insurer a check for the standard amount. If that’s less than the premium, you pay the difference. If it’s more than the premium, the excess is directed into a Medical Savings Account you can use for all sorts of normal medical expenses below the deductible — often including eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures.
We could do far worse than apply the Medicare Part C model to all age groups nationwide … and we probably will (do worse).
I mentioned my opposition to the HCR bills (both House and Senate versions) on another forum, and the first comment to come back was “Oh, so you are in favor of letting people die because they can’t get proper Health care or insurance”? It is amazing that the hype immediately goes for the personal, as if philosophical or real differences in opinion didn’t exist.
Jim: your response should be that since 1986 hospitals are legally required to treat anyone, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. See 42 USC 1395dd.
My in-laws are both medical people (pathologist and RN) and believe me, they know all about it — the indigent females coming in with desperate non-specific “pain” (they want drugs), the gang-bangers with gunshot wounds and knife slashes, the illegal immigrants injured in an auto wreck, the drunks with “stomach pains” coming in every time it gets cold.
Anyone who states that people cannot get medical care for want of insurance is either lying or dumber than a potted plant.
My husband and I are retired with a very modest income (approx 50% of what we made when working). The Advantage Plan has helped us greatly. I am not medicare age and I have to pay over $700 for my individual policy. If he did not have advantage his supplement would be another $250 per month. This bill funds the changes at the expense of medicare. Not only will it cut advantage it is cutting the rates it will pay to providers. Many are ready to get out of the “elder” medical business should this pass meaning that medicare patients will have a much harder time getting treatment in a timely manner.
P.S. The medicare cuts will come immediately while any benefits for the uninsured will be several years down the road.
I’d be far more interesting in learning what those who responded to the poll actually know what’s in the legislation. I suspect the number is far less than 50% (and that’s being generous) but somehow we are supposed to take their answers to the poll question seriously. Such is the way of American politics, and we are all the poorer for it.
#6, since the full bill with all the “reconciliation” items has yet to see the light of day, it can be said that nobody knows what’s in the legislation, including the legislators.
As luck would have it I spent a little time with my Congressman who is a subject of this poll. I left him a copy and though he said he would look it over, I fear he is a true quaffer of the Obama/Reid/Pelosi Kool-Aid. I invited his attention to the question on those who voted yes on the original bill but would vote no on the upcoming question and the ray of sunshine it offered. From his reaction, I think he plans to mix some hemlock in with the Kool-Aid just to be sure the lethal mix works. We call this breed Demokazis – embracing glorious (political) death for the greater advancement of Emperor B and our march to a brighter Socialist future.